


Tangled in the Force

by ekayla



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Tangled (2010)
Genre: Creepy Palpatine, F/M, I planned this out when I was drunk, Light Bondage, Oh No He's Hot, Rapunzel AU, Tangled AU, accidental violence, ben is rapunzel, ben solo is a disney princess, does it get better than this, duh - Freeform, fairytale AU, i watched the entire movie of tangled over and over while writing this, kind of canonverse, lots of fluff, oh no she's hot, palpatine is mother gothel, palpatine sings to a flower to stay young, papa knows best, rey is a squashbuckling rogue, then he sings with ben to stay young, they are still a dyad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:33:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23813107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ekayla/pseuds/ekayla
Summary: He feels the pull to the lights. The floating lights.At 21 years old, Kylo has never left his home in the old abandoned castle he shares with his father, Palpatine. His strong magical connection to the Force has the power to provide healing and eternal youth, and Papa Palps takes full advantage of this. After years of dreaming of seeing the floating lights in person, Kylo finally has found a way to make this dream a reality. With the help of the scavenger-thief Rey, who stumbled upon his castle while running from the Knights of Ren and the guards of Alderaan, they set out on their adventure. Will Kylo see the floating lights? Will he learn something new about his past and where he came from? Will Rey be caught for her crimes? Whoops, my hand slipped and wrote an entire Tangled AU where Ben is the princess.A Reylo Tangled AU, somewhat canonverse
Relationships: Leia Organa/Han Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 17
Kudos: 36





	1. Prologue

This is the story of a boy named Ben. And it all starts with the Force.

Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, the Force created a single flower, a black orchid called Murakami, in the Murakam star system. It grew to be a beautiful dark color, small in size, but with the ability to connect with the Force in a way that no other foliage of the natural world could. Through this special connection, it could heal the sick and injured; a unique ability that rivaled no other in the entire galaxy, but it’s power was coveted by all those who heard of it. Luckily, it was tucked away on a tiny planet, and most believed it to be a myth, a legend. 

To some, however, legends encourage seeking. Many tried to find the orchid, but only one succeeded. He spent years searching, and finally his time and energy paid off. He found the flower, and made his home on the planet it resided. 

Centuries past, and a hop, skip and a light speed jump away, there grew a kingdom on the planet of Alderaan. Little by little, it grew in power and number, with its small villages making way for towns and cities. The planet was covered in greenery, with numerous forests, winding crystal blue rivers, and tall rocky mountains that gave breathtaking views when the sun set, while also providing its inhabitants with fields for their harvest. The Royal Palace of Alderaan, overlooking a clear-water lake and surrounded by snowcapped mountains, was the home of a beloved King and Queen. The Queen was of royal blood while her King had been a commoner, what some might call a scoundrel, but that’s a story for another time. They ruled their kingdom with grace and kindness, and in return they had the love of their people. Not long after ascending the throne, the Queen became pregnant. But, just before giving birth, she became sick, really sick. She was running out of time, and that’s when people usually start to look for a miracle.

When the people heard of what was happening with their queen, the guards led the citizens in a search to find the legendary Murakami orchid. It was their only chance to save their queen and future ruler of Alderaan, and they did everything they could to find it. Civilians and guards alike boarded their ships and set out to planets where myths predicted the black orchid could be found. 

On that tiny planet in Murakam, the old man still lived. After finding the orchid, he kept it well hidden, out of sight from anyone who might try to come find it. Instead of sharing the gift from the Force, this man, Sheev Palpatine, hoarded it’s healing power and used it to keep himself young for hundreds of years. All he had to do to access its great Force power was to sing a special song. He crouched down to the flower, and waved his hands about while he sang. 

_Flower, gleam and glow  
Let your power shine  
Make the clock reverse  
Bring back what once was mine..._

As he sang, the dark petals of the flower began to glow, and a shimmering dust lifted off and onto Palpatine. Once the magic pollen touched his face, all the wrinkles on his skin became smooth, and the years he’d acquired previously left him in a matter of seconds. 

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a ship landing, and with it came footsteps and the voices of visitors. Fearfully, he rushed to cover the orchid and scurried off into the forest back to his cottage. However, in his race to hide his secret, the wind of his cape brushed the flower’s camouflage away, causing it to be visible to anyone who might walk by.

The foreigners hurried through the land, hunting for the mythical Force-sensitive orchid. Finally, a young woman in a guard’s uniform saw something amongst the brush - dark black, sleek and beautiful. “I found it!” She cried to her companions. They ran over to surround the precious flower and carefully dug around its roots. Gently, they lifted the plant and took it to their ship, instantly lifting off and taking the orchid to their homeland.

In the shadows, Palpatine watched them as they took away his only reason for survival. He scowled as they dug, but he took note of the emblem of the guards’ uniforms – Alderaan. He knew what he had to do.

Back in the Palace, the parts of the flower were turned into a syrupy medicine. Surrounded by nurses and her worried husband, she drank the liquid – just in time. Immediately, everything dire about the situation changed. She was healed, and soon after delivered a bouncing baby boy, a prince, with a head full of beautiful black hair and deep brown eyes. The queen gazed to her king, and together they decided on his name; Ben. 

The next few weeks flew by; Ben was a healthy normal newborn, and very alert for one being only days old. The King, though one might suspect him not being keen to children, took to his son as one learns to breathe. It was almost impossible to give Ben to the nurse during the day while the King had to attend to matters of the kingdom. If he had his way, Ben would stay with him everywhere he went. Each night, the Queen, herself being connected to the Force, could feel something so strong, so powerful in her son as she held him in her arms before placing him softly in the crib to sleep. As the King and Queen held each other, staring down into the crib at their child, they wondered together how their son’s strong connection to the Force would shape his life. Though they had their worries, they always chose to trust that whatever would happen, he would always have their love and support. 

To celebrate his birth, the King and Queen launched a flying lantern into the sky, and it lifted far into the atmosphere for all those in the galaxy to see. The people of Alderaan, upon seeing the lantern being launched, cheered loudly for their Royal family and their new Prince. And for those few precious weeks, everything was perfect. 

And then, that perfect moment ended.

In the cover of the night, a small ship landed just outside the Palace of Alderaan, containing one passenger. Palpatine stepped out, dressed all in black with his cloak trailing down his back. Quietly, he made his way towards the Palace, dodging every guard along his path. Soon, he found himself just below the balcony where he knew through the Force that the King, Queen and child slept soundly. Without making a sound, he scaled the wall and hopped over the railing, sliding the door open. The couple stirred a bit in their sleep, but no one woke up. Palpatine slowly walked over to the crib, and peering down at the child, he felt the immense power of the Force that was held in his tiny body. In a low voice, one that only he could hear, he sang the song. 

_Flower gleam and glow  
Let your power shine…_

He began to feel the same Force energy that was once in the flower coming off of the baby, just before it slowly faded after he stopped singing. A dark smile crept onto his face, knowing this would work. With that, he snatched up Ben, but the child instantly began to cry, as if knowing this was not a familiar person who was holding him. Ben’s parents were jolted awake, and the Queen felt a twist in her gut, like something was being ripped out of her. As quickly as the King jumped out of bed, Palpatine was quicker at jumping off the balcony, using the Force to land safely on the ground below. 

Palpatine got to his ship without any trouble from the guards, and began to fly off planet with the child, still crying and screaming. The Alderaan guards boarded their ships to fly after him, but unfortunately Palpatine was too quick and just like that, he escaped into hyperspace, gone.

The Queen lay there in their bed, weeping and wailing for the loss of her child. The King did everything he could to comfort her, but it was not enough. She felt like there was a piece of her heart missing, a hole inside of her, one that she feared would never be filled again. 

The kingdom of Alderaan searched and searched, but they could not find the prince. For deep in the galaxy, on the dark planet of Mustafar in an abandoned castle, Palpatine raised the child as his own. Through the years, he used the baby’s strong connection with the Force to heal himself as he’d once done, using his song. Eventually, as the child grew, he gave him the new name of Kylo and taught the little one the song and would have Kylo sing it for himself. Palpatine had found his new magic black orchid, but this time he was determined to keep it hidden. Every time little Kylo would ask to go outside, Palpatine explained that the outside world was a dangerous place, filled with horrible, selfish people, and that he must stay in the castle, where he was safe. And in response, Kylo would simply nod his head, understanding and believing all the things Palpatine told him. 

But the walls of that castle could not hide everything. Each year, on his birthday, the King and Queen released thousands of lanterns from the planet of Alderaan, that rose until they went out into the galaxy, in hope their lost prince would return. 

And each year, Kylo would tiptoe down the stairs, across the hall, to the giant window overlooking the night sky, and gaze longingly at the bright lights that glittered above. He didn’t understand why they were there or what they meant, but regardless, he felt a pull to the lights, and would dream about them all year long until he had the chance to see them again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!!! subscribe, because the next chapter is coming soon <3


	2. The Castle

21 years later…

Kylo’s eyes scanned the living space. There wasn’t much there, but it was all his. The fireplace in the corner with a huge velvet curtain decorating the area above it. A large woven rug with two worn chairs faced the fireplace, and a sizable wardrobe leaned against the wall to the left. A cluttered work table sat in the middle of the room, and a staircase began on the right, next to the door leading to a kitchen, and trailed up the side of the wall, leading to a small bedroom. Every wall was covered with doodles, drawings, and paintings; the skill level ranging from a child to teen to adult, the artist improving with every new addition. There wasn’t much space left on any of the walls. Lastly, farthest from the fireplace, a great window took up most of the wall with its light blue shutters closed.

Kylo stood in the center of the room, for a brief moment, before a small flash of green caught his attention by the large closed window. Slowly and quietly, he moved across the room, opening its doors with a burst.

“Ah ha!” Nothing but the cool summer breeze and the warmth of the sun suddenly on his skin.

He closed his eyes and reached out in the Force, sensing that his small friend was near. He saw him in his mind, the tiny avocado-colored chameleon, his only friend, but decided not to end the game too quickly and play along. He ran a hand through his dark hair, ending just above his chin.

“Hmm… well, I guess Armie’s not hiding out here…” Kylo began to walk away, keeping his eyes on the flower pot.

With that, he heard a little giggle from the windowsill behind the flower pot. A knowing smile formed on Kylo’s face before he took a few steps back.

All of a sudden, he spun around and the pot flew into the air, hovering above the chameleon. “Gotcha!”

Shocked by the surprise of being found, Armie squealed and jumped into the air outside of the window.

Kylo’s eyes widened. “Armie!” The flower pot dropped to the sill, crashing over and onto the floor. Kylo caught his friend with the Force and then brought him carefully over to his open hands, plopping him down.

“Are you okay?”

Armie nodded, relieved. “Good. So, that’s twenty-two for me. How about twenty-three out of forty-five?”

The chameleon made a disapproving squeak, furrowing its brows. Kylo let out a small groan, placing Armie back on the windowsill.

“Well, what do you wanna do?” he asked.

Excitedly, Armie pointed at the world outside with his long tail.

Kylo hopped up on the windowsill and threw his feet over the edge, staying on the sill. “Yeah, I don’t think so, Armie.” He kicked his feet a bit, holding the stone sill with his hands. “I like it in here, and so do you.” 

Armie looked deadpan at Kylo, tiny arms crossed. 

“I know you do, come on.” Kylo pleaded. 

Armie deflated with a raspberry sound and looked away, eyes cast longingly outside.

“Oh come on, it’s not so bad in there.” He scooped up the chameleon and hopped back into the castle. Using the Force, Kylo opened several skylights as he walked through the room, flooding the space with sunbeams, brightening every corner.

Placing Armie on one of his shoulders, Kylo walked past the bookshelf next to the wardrobe, scanning the titles of all the stories and facts he has memorized after years of reading them. Deciding against reading them, he continued on toward the workspace.

His latest project, candle-making, had taken up a good bit of his time as well as the space. Every morning, he spent at least a couple hours pouring wax and dipping the wick into it over and over again, until his brain couldn’t take the repetitive motions any longer and he called it quits. Besides, he’d made about twenty new ones, and he didn’t go through candles that fast.

After he put away most of the candle making materials, he decided on baking for his next activity. He’d been wanting to figure out the recipe for sourdough bread, and had been working on his starter for weeks. 

He wandered into the kitchen and began the dough making process. He kneaded and kneaded, then set it aside to rise. 

After sweeping the entire living space, his bedroom, the staircase, the kitchen, the hallway leading to Palpatine’s chambers, and dusting everything in the castle, Kylo headed back to the bread and popped it into the oven. He watched it bake for the whole thirty-five minutes, the top of the bread slowly changing from a pale tan to a nice light brown. He took it out to cool and set it by the window before heading back to the kitchen to clean up. Not long later, the area was sparkling and Kylo was off in search of the next thing to do.

He meandered over to a space where he’s got a dummy set up, picked up a wooden cross sword leaning against it, and began to spare. It was definitely not as exciting as sparing with an actual person, but he made do. He swung the sword with precision and strength, the result of years of practice. His father taught him from a young age to use a sword, although since Kylo wasn’t allowed to go outside, he was never sure why he was even taught. But nevertheless, it was a fun way to exercise his mind as well as body, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. 

After a couple hours of sparing, he grew tired. Armie, who had been sitting on the edge of one of the chairs watching, yawned. 

“Why are YOU tired?” Kylo said, a bit breathless. “You didn’t even do any work.” 

Armie shrugged and hopped down into the chair, finding a comfy place on the cushion to nap. Kylo laughed, then figured now was probably a good time to practice mediation. 

For the next hour or so, Kylo tried to meditate with the Force. He sat cross-legged in the center of the living space, closed his eyes and placed his hands on his knees. He meditated on and off, letting his mind become one with the Force, but getting distracted by Armie making the occasional squeak-snore, causing him to break concentration and laugh. 

Once he got bored of meditating, he stood up and went over to the wardrobe. A paint chest was on the floor next to the tall cabinet, worn and covered in various paint splotches, ranging from reds to blues to dark black. He pulled it out, away from the wall a bit, and opened the lid. It was well stocked with different hues, tints, and dyes, as well as assorted brushes of all different sizes, ready for whatever Kylo’s imagination could conjure up.

He looked around to the walls, which were already covered from floor to ceiling with paintings from his years in the castle. Wanting to preserve his childhood memories, he searched for a spot, however small, of exposed, available space. Unfortunately, it was much harder than it would seem, as every nook and cranny of the castle walls were painted. 

Finally, his eyes settled on the large dark velvet curtain above the fireplace. Closing his left eye and holding up his right hand, he used his thumb to measure the area. Seeing the potential, he climbed up on the mantle and brushed back the curtain to either side, setting to work.

It took a bit longer than he expected, but since he wasn’t going anywhere else nor did he have any pressing matters to attend, he didn’t mind. His palette in hand, Kylo mixed blues, golds, and oranges, and stroked his brush along the castle wall over and over again. This time, he actually managed to get most of the paint on the surface instead of on himself, minus the splotch of navy on his forehead. After he finished, he stepped back off the mantle and stared up, admiring what he'd done. His hands drop to his sides, not in pride of his ability, but rather of what he painted. 

A night sky, deep and dark, but filled with lights that appear to be floating in the atmosphere. Kylo let out a sigh, and his mind filled with possibilities of the lights. He didn’t know where they came from, nor their reason for existence. Excitement began to build from deep within him as he realized the time of year when they were visible was fast approaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my lovely beta, ash! follow her on twitter @hunkbuster :) 
> 
> And thank you too for reading! Look out for chapter three, coming soon <3


	3. The Scavenger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing...Rey!

Rey slid down the shingles of the palace roof and landed on top of another turret, followed by Vicrul, Cardo, and the rest of the Knights. While they carried the honorable title, the Knights of Ren were anything but. They ran through the galaxy, thieving, scamming, and causing chaos wherever they went. Rey wasn’t a knight herself, but she occasionally pulled jobs with them because of their skill. They may not have had a good moral reputation, but they knew how to get a job done and everyone knew it. She was, afterall, a scavenger who needed to survive any way she could, even if that meant working with people with… less morals than most. 

They made their way silently through the tops of various brick columns and rooftops, jumping from one to another, sneaking in and around the small towers while staying out of view of the guards keeping watch. 

Rey paused for a beat, taking in the greenery around her, her mouth gaping slightly at the beauty of the lake surrounding the palace. Alderaan really was as stunning as they said, and she couldn’t believe it took her eighteen years to finally come see it for herself. Well, actually, she  _ could _ believe it, because it wasn’t like she had money or free time. She was always looking for the next thing to keep her life afloat and able to just…  _ survive. _

“I want a castle, one that overlooks something exactly like this.” Rey sighed while keeping her eyes locked on the lake, not realizing that anyone was listening to her.

“Scavenger, let’s go!” Rey’s gaze jolted from the beautiful scenery to Vicrul, who looked annoyed, wondering why he agreed to take an eighteen year old girl with him on this job. Luckily for Rey, the only reason he agreed was because of her size; she was strong but small, the kind of small that could fit into the palace vents without being stuck. All of the Knights of Ren towered over just about anyone they encountered, so none of them could do what needed to be done at the Palace of Alderaan. 

“If we do this job, you can buy your own castle, wherever you want. I don’t care, but let’s just get this done,” he hissed. 

Rey groaned and rolled her eyes, but got moving. As soon as this job was done, she’d be out of there. 

\-- 

They arrived at the vent, which really was just a very small stone tunnel. It’s no wonder they needed Rey; if they were lucky, they could fit just one of their giant legs in. Rey approached the tunnel, inspecting the dark tube. 

She turned back to Vicrul. “Are we sure about this?” 

“Yeah, this tunnel leads to exactly where the lightsaber is kept.” 

Rey put a hand on her hip. “But do we  _ really _ need this lightsaber? What’s so special about it anyway?” 

“It’s the lightsaber of Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader - once we get the saber, we’ll be set for life.” 

Rey thought about this for a moment, about how she’d finally be free from her life of thievery, free from having to work with people like the Knights of Ren, free to live by herself and away from anyone and everyone. Away in her own castle, just  _ free _ . She let herself dream for just a second, before snapping back to Vicrul. 

“Alright, fine. But I better get my share.” She stepped closer to him, squinting her eyes and looking up at his towering body, holding any fear deep inside her, and pointed a figure towards his face. “My  _ whole _ share.” 

For a second, Vicrul held her stare, and Rey thought he might break her finger. But she stood her ground, and then he nodded. 

And with that, she climbed into the vent. 

The vent was hot, but not too hot for Rey to get through. She studied the plans of the palace, so she remembered which ways to turn to take her to the room where the lightsaber was kept. After a few lefts and rights, she eventually made it to the vent overlooking the precious weapon. She unhooked a rope from her waist, and secured herself to part of the wall. Rey carefully removed the vent covering, tugged on the rope to make sure it was safe, then slowly began her descent. 

She made it to the ground in about a minute. There were two guards placed in front of the lightsaber, but they were facing the only door in the room, which was opposite of her and thus she only saw their backs. With light hands, Rey delicately picked up the saber. As soon as her fingertips touched it, she felt something electric. The sensation almost caused her to drop the saber, but she held onto it as if her life depended on it. Which, in a way, it did. Electricity coursed through her body, and she felt… powerful. She gazed down at the source in her hands, wondering what it was about this weapon that caused such a response in her. 

Suddenly, one of the guards sneezed, and Rey smiled. She just couldn’t help herself.

“Hay fever, sweetheart?” 

Without turning around, the male guard wiped under his nose. “Yeah, it’s terrible this time of year.” 

By the time the guard realized what was happening, Rey had already climbed up the rope and was sitting at the top of the vent. 

“Hey, stop right there!” He yelled as the other guard turned around. Both whipped out their sabers, but Rey was surprised to see they were made of metal instead of light, like the one she now possessed. 

She peered down at them through the vent, only her upper body exposed. “I’d love to stay, but sadly, I can’t!” She blew a kiss before shoving the lightsaber into her satchel and disappeared from view.

Rey hurried as fast as she could through the vents, back to where the Knights were waiting for her. When she busted through the opening, the Knights of Ren were lounging around looking terribly bored. She could have sworn a couple of them jumped as she burst through. 

“Did you get it?” Vicrul asked expectantly. 

Rey didn’t answer. “Um, we have a problem. Two guards saw me, and by now probably the whole cavalry knows we’re here.” 

Cardo let out a groan. “Shit.” He turned to Vicrul. “I knew this is why we shouldn’t have hired the girl.” 

“I’ve told you this, we couldn’t have done the job without her. We  _ had _ to.” 

“Ladies, I’d love to keep arguing about, well,  _ me, _ but we have to get out of here or we’re all dead.” Before the men could retort, they all turned their heads to the sound of guards running on the cobblestone. “Let’s go!” 

Rey was small, and in a lot of ways in life, that was a disadvantage. But when it came to running, it made her  _ fast. _ She raced ahead of all the men, up and around the rooftops where they came from. When she got to the grassy field, nearing the edge of the forest where their freighter laid in wait, she turned to see the Knights trailing behind her. 

“Wait for us, Scavenger!” Vicrul yelled as a guard was gaining on him. 

Rey glanced quickly between the Knights of Ren and the shuttle. She could wait, and risk getting caught, possible execution, or… 

Vicrul saw her expression change. “Don’t you dare-” he screamed at her.

Rey jumped in and slammed the button activating the door, closing it behind her. There were no windows in the door, but she suspected Vicrul and the rest of the Knights were taken captive by the guards. She raced to the cockpit, kicked it into gear, the engine beginning to whirl.  _ What was she doing?  _ Double crossing the Knights of Ren might not have been the best decision, but it was better than certain death at the hands of the Alderaan guards. That’s what any kingdom that she’d ever known would do if they caught someone stealing something of high value from their royals. Hell, it’s what any  _ person _ would do if they caught someone stealing from them where she grew up in Jakku, and what the rest of her part of the galaxy had taught her. 

Before she could second guess herself, she was kicking it into hyperspace and flew off the planet at the speed of light. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you sooo much for reading!! Follow me on twitter @blarkefart :)
> 
> Hopefully I'll keep picking this story up and write more, I'm hoping NaNoWriMo will get me to do it!


	4. The Pull to the Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter of Kylo discussing the floating lights with Palps.

Off in the distance, Kylo heard Palpatine returning from his outing; the buzzing of his single passenger ship and the whirring of the wind as it touched down on the black sand island in the middle of Mustafar filled him with a sense of apprehension.

Kylo quickly covered up his semi-dry painting with the curtain hanging just next to it and rushed to the door. He stood, shoulders back and hands clasped together behind him, waiting for Palpatine to enter the castle. Armie tried to sit next to him on the floor, but Kylo eyed him and made a slight gesture with his hand that meant  _ hide. _ Palpatine wasn’t a huge fan of Kylo’s little green friend, often referring to him as ‘mucus’ or a ‘glaucous pest’, and usually kicked him outside when he was found in the castle. 

Just as Armie hid under the chair, the doors opened with a push of the Force, and Palpatine glided into the room.

“My boy, hang this up, won’t you?” Palpatine said, tossing his cloak towards Kylo who had to lunge out to catch it before it hit the ground. “And is that bread I smell?” He gently wafted the air toward his nose with his hand. “Ah, it is. Smells delicious, cut me a piece and bring it to me?” 

“Ye-yes, Father. Of course.” He hung up the cloak and hurried into the kitchen, cutting the perfect slice. He walked it out to his father, who was already sitting in the chair by the fireplace. 

“Thank you, boy. I’m feeling a little… run down. Would you sing for me please?” 

Kylo knew that if he put his father into a good mood, there was more of a chance that he would let him go out and see the lights. It was a risk, asking Palpatine for this, but he was almost twenty-two, and he still hadn’t seen anything more than Mustafar and the lights from his bedroom window. He’d never asked for anything before, so maybe, just maybe, by singing to refresh his spirit and giving him freshly baked treats, his father would grant him this one request.

Kylo sang with all his might, the Force rushed through him like electricity, making the air around him full with kinetic energy, like anything was possible. Palpatine took a deep breath, and when Kylo’s voice lulled to the end of the song, he stood, refreshed and powerful. His wrinkles were no longer present, and he seemed to bounce with a bit more youth in his step as he walked towards Kylo. 

“Thank you, dear boy,” he said, patting his son lightly on the cheek. “Your song always fills me with such life. I don’t know how you do it so well.” Kylo opened his mouth to speak, but his words stuck in his throat, refusing to come out. 

Palpatine made a face. “Close your mouth, or you’ll attract flies.” Kylo did as he was told. “I think I’ll go get myself a glass of water to wash down that delicious bread you made.” He headed towards the kitchen, turning his back to the room. 

Kylo closed his eyes in defeat, but as soon as he couldn’t see Palpatine or the claustrophobic castle walls, his mind filled with bright lights, hanging in the open dark night around him. Glistening and gleaming, they seemed to be calling out to him, pulling him towards their radiant beams. He squeezed his eyes tighter and forced the words out of his mouth. 

“I want to see the floating lights!” 

Palaptine stopped in his tracks, slowly turning around to face Kylo. “You want to see the what now?”

Now that the words were out, confidence sprung into his core and began rising up. He straightened up his shoulders and raised his chin. “For my birthday, in two days, I would like to go out and see the floating lights.”

Palpatine breathed out with a laugh. “Oh, you mean the stars. You can see them just outside the window, Kylo. No need to go outside.” 

“Well, that’s the thing: I’ve tracked stars, and these lights appear every year, and only on my birthday,” he explained, taking a step forward, hands out by his sides. “I can’t help but feel like they’re… meant for  _ me _ .” With pleading eyes, he held his hands out towards Palpatine. “I have to find out what they are, and what they mean. And that means going outside of the castle.  _ Please _ , Father.” 

Palpatine lifted a hand to his chin, giving the illusion that he was thinking about what Kylo was asking, when in reality, they both knew the answer. Kylo returned his hands to his side, shoulders slumped. 

“You want to go outside?” he questioned in a clarifying manner. “Oh Kylo, they’d eat you alive! You’d never make it past the Dagobah System. Kylo…” He brought his voice down to a whisper, walking closer to Kylo, whose head was now hanging down, eyes on the floor in defeat. Palpatine lifted his chin up, bringing Kylo’s gaze to meet his own. “You won’t survive out there. You know that I just want to keep you safe and sound, my boy,” he said while patting him on his shoulder. “The galaxy is a terribly dangerous place, and it is better for  _ you _ if you stay inside, here, with me. I’ll protect you.” 

A corner of Kylo’s mouth lifted, but it was a sad smile that formed on his face. If Palpatine noticed, he said nothing of it. Clearing his throat, he said, “Well, now that we’ve had that little chat, what shall we have for dinner? Roast porg? I’ve brought some from the faraway island of Ahch-To, this small little place with the most horrid grumpy inhabitants…” 

His words drifted away into the background as Kylo felt the helplessness overtake him. He had to accept the reality that he’d never make it off this planet, never see the rest of the galaxy, never find out what the magical floating lights meant or where they came from… The list of ‘nevers’ continued on and on in his mind, multiplying as he wandered up the staircase to his bedroom, each step heavier than the last, until he reached the top. Armie stealthily followed, slipping into the bedroom. Kylo quietly shut the door as Palpatine continued to ramble, unbothered and unaware that he was no longer in the company of anyone other than himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!! This chapter was short, but it accomplished what I needed it to. The next will be MUCH longer, thus might take a bit longer for me to have it ready to publish. Thanks for your patience! <3


	5. Sweet Smoldering Serendipity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey runs from the Alderaan guards and find herself drawn to something on the planet. What (or who) could it be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw // accidental violence, maybe I should tag for light bondage? (better to tag too much than not enough)

Stars streamed past her view as she flew through space with Alderaan guards tailing her in her wake. She weaved in and out of giant reddish-brown asteroids, hoping to lose at least one of them to the rocks. Hit! One pilot ran their ship straight into one, and Rey couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sadness for the guard in the midst of the moment. 

There were two more, and they were gaining, blasting at her freighter. Lights were flashing on the control board in the cockpit and beeps were alerting her that she’d been hit.  _ Damn _ . She checked the status quickly to find it wasn’t a crucial blast, but the next one could be. She had to do something, and fast. 

“Where won’t you go?” she thought aloud. She wasn’t as familiar with this part of the galaxy as she wished she was, but she knew that those from this system largely disliked those in the Outer Rim. She jammed in coordinates, flipped a few switches, and pulled back the throttle, sending her shuttle back into hyperspace. 

Next thing she knew, Rey was soaring through the Mustafar System, and for a moment, she thought she’d lost them. 

“Ha! I knew they wouldn’t come here.” She turned to her satchel, sitting on the co-pilot’s chair. “It’s just you and me, and soon, after I sell you off to the highest bidder, it’ll just be me and all my credits.” 

But before she could daydream about living on a planet alone and free, two Alderaan fighter jets appeared on her left. 

“Well, shit.” 

Rey spun the freighter to the right as quickly as she could, and took off towards a cluster of small planets. She was running out of time, and decided she needed to make planet-fall. She scanned the system for anything that could help her, and then she felt it. A pull. Gentle and small, but a pull nonetheless. Since she had no other ideas, she set the gears and prepared for breaking through the atmosphere of the small red planet.

Heat tore through her ship as she got closer to the surface. Tiny beads of sweat began to drip down her face, and she wasn’t sure if it was from the chase itself or the hot volcanic planet she was now on. The Alderaan jets followed shortly, and she sped up, putting distance between them. Out the windows, tall dark obsidian mountains towered next to red-hot lava oceans lined with dark sand beaches. She searched for a place to hide, somewhere she could lay low for a while. She whipped around the mountain and discovered it was riddled with cave entrances. Rey found one big enough for her ship and dipped inside, completely out of view. 

Lucky for her, the guards zipped right past and didn’t notice her sudden move. She let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, and leaned back in her chair. She glanced over at the package still sitting in the co-pilot’s seat. Her brown worn leather satchel seemed to almost glow, causing her to rub her eyes. Surely, she was seeing things. She needed sleep. Rey tucked herself back into the chair and crossed her arms over her chest, letting her eyes flutter to a close. Now that she was safe from the guards, she could doze off for a minute or two….

\--

“Lieutenant, it might be time to go back. We can’t find her,” said one of the guards over the comm. 

Finn shook his head, despite being in a separate ship. “No, I know she’s here. We saw her come here, and we  _ have _ to find her. For Alderaan.” 

“I know, but I don’t know how much longer I can stay on this planet. It feels like it’s about to explode. My ship is heating up, causing alerts-” 

“Then go. Go back. I’ll stay and search. I know I can find the thief.” 

“No, I’m not leaving you, Lieutenant.” 

He flipped a few switches and scanned the area on his navigation screen. “There’s a place north of us where I can land, I’ll be okay. Go back and tell the others that we know the thief’s location. I’ll let you know via comm when I’ve caught her.” 

“Yes, Lieutenant.” The guard turned his jet around and blasted off into the atmosphere, trusting that his leader would keep his word.

Finn gazed out at the red lava-filled landscape as his ship continued soaring towards the north, speaking out a promise to himself and all of Alderaan. “I will find you, thief. I will find you.” 

\--

A few hours later, Rey awoke to the sound of an explosion. She felt the ground rumble beneath her and the freighter shaking violently. Alarms started beeping and flashing all across the control board. “Shit, shit,  _ shit. _ ” Rey flipped the ship back on, and got it into the air just as the ground below gave way. The cave ceiling was just about to crash on top of her when she jolted the shuttle forward, barely putting herself out of harm's way. “Well, great, I guess I have to find another place to land this thing,” she grumbled as she started flying out towards the red ocean. “And of course, everything is covered in  _ lava _ … maybe I should just go find another planet.” 

But as soon as the words came out of her mouth, she felt it again. The gentle pull from before, but this time stronger. Her brows furrowed as she felt it pull her towards the southern part of the land, out into the lava ocean. 

Rey had never really believed in things she couldn’t see. For as long as she could remember, she’d always had to depend on herself and what was in front of her to get herself out of sticky situations. Of course, she’d heard others talk of something called “The Force”, but to Rey that was all mumbo-jumbo. She’d never experienced anything like that in her own life, and she didn’t understand why some people spent their entire lives centered around something that was so clearly made up. 

And yet. 

Rey decided she must have been going insane from the fumes of the Knights of Ren’s ship, because suddenly she found herself flying out into the middle of an ocean made of lava. 

She flew for what felt like an hour, all that time still feeling  _ something  _ pulling her south. Suddenly, she saw something appear over the horizon that grew larger with every minute. 

“An island,” she gasped as soon as it became clear what was before her. 

The island was small; it had just enough space to fit a large volcanic rock formation and what appeared to be a decently sized structure at the center. A large turret on one side of the building and beautiful stonework indicated that it might be some kind of temple, possibly one of great value, but the aged look gave the impression that it’d been abandoned for a number of years, maybe still to that day. The temple or castle, whatever it might be, seemed perfectly placed, with the rocks surrounding and protecting it from the ocean below. 

Rey checked her scanner for any other ships in the area, and it alerted her to nothing. She was alone, and this old stone castle, as it seemed to be, was her saving grace. She could hide out here until she was sure the Knights of Ren were gone for good, and that Alderaan had given up their search.

The strange feeling that pulled her out to sea was growing stronger, which both worried and excited her. It was mysterious, but she tried to brush it off as she had other things to worry about right now. Like how to land on an island in the middle of lava. 

As she carefully approached the island, a rangy glen appeared behind the high rocks. She threw a control that initiated her landing gear and began to descend. 

She waited a minute after touching the ground, as if waiting to see if her freighter would stay on the surface or sink below. After she felt more secure with the island, Rey grabbed her satchel and hit the button, opening the door with hiss. 

The land was quiet, more than she expected; there were no creature sounds, no tracks in the ashy dirt, nothing that indicated life. Perhaps this was the perfect spot to hide out from the rest of humanity. 

Rey wandered through the glen, taking note of the lack of green and the large amount of dark everywhere, touching the short grey grass down by her feet. In a way, it reminded her of Jakku; barren, dusty,  _ lonely _ . She shook the memories of her childhood and continued walking towards the rocks. 

The castle was stout and ominous, and everything in Rey’s logical brain was telling her to run away, go back to her ship and fly elsewhere. But as she opened the sturdy wooden door, she felt strangely calm and at peace. She entered into a clean living space. However unkempt the outside of the castle looked, this inside space was tidy and, well, immaculate. Even the paints over in front of the fireplace were laid out in an orderly fashion, and Rey let out a snicker at the sight of it. Her gaze shifted up towards above the fireplace where she saw the most beautiful depiction of the galaxy with brilliant lights hanging throughout. It drew her in, step by step, until she stood in awe right next to the large chair.

Suddenly, her nose caught an unexpected smell.  _ Bread? _ She followed the smell, making her feet light on the boarded floor, and found herself in a kitchen. As she turned around the corner, she saw a man; dark shoulder length hair, tall, broad, and completely unaware of her presence. She crouched down behind the table in the center of the room and observed him working. 

He kneaded the bread, and seemed to have something stuffed in his ears. Perhaps he was deaf? She only knew a few galactic signs, but they weren’t very nice ones, none of which would be helpful in communicating with him. Maybe she could try to gesture that she was a nice person and not here to cause any trouble. 

Rey watched the man for a few more minutes. He moved his sizable hands through the dough with a gentle strength she’d never seen before. It was mesmerizing how he pushed and pulled the mixture across the floured counter. She smiled. He seemed like a simple baker, and Rey decided that she would move forward and try to communicate. 

She stood up, his back still facing her, and walked over to tap him on the shoulder. As soon as she did, he whipped around and the next thing she remembered was a startled roar and her vision fading to black. 

\--

He hadn’t meant to hit her. Really. There he was, making bread again like he does every afternoon, and felt a tap on his shoulder when he thought he was utterly alone. Palpatine had gone out again, and even Armie had gone exploring for a while. 

Kylo had been thankful, though, to have the place to himself. He wanted to think of a new plan, some other way to convince his father that he could handle the outside world and should be allowed to go see where the floating lights originated. He had stuffed cotton into his ears to help him think, a habit he picked up as a kid, and now there was an unconscious girl lying on his kitchen floor. 

He bent down to make sure she was breathing, and he thanked the stars that she was. 

“What do I do??” he thought aloud as he paced, running his floury hands through his hair and leaving behind grey streaks. Kylo’s eyes scanned the room in a rush, looking for nothing in particular, but possibly anything that might help him in this unexpected predicament. 

He knew his father could be back at any moment, and he didn’t know what might happen to the girl. He paused.  _ A girl _ . He’d never met one before. Sure, he’d read plenty of books involving damsels in distress and the hero that saved her, to which then he was rewarded with her love and a kiss. But those women wore long flowy dresses and didn’t really do much in the story other than sit in a castle all day, waiting for their knight in shining armor to show up. And here  _ he _ was, waiting around in a castle, and  _ a girl _ showed up. He rolled his eyes at the irony. 

Kylo glanced back over at her still body lying on the floor. Her hair covered her face, and he walked slowly towards her. He squatted down next to her head, and with a careful hand, he pulled back her brown locks to reveal her light skin and rosy cheeks. As soon as he touched her, electricity flew through his body, and he pulled his hand back quickly. “What was that?” he said confusedly but softly, as to not wake her. He took in her beauty, natural and sweet, and wondered why she felt so familiar, but yet he knew he’d never met her before.

A dark spot had already started to form around one of her eyes, where he’d accidentally hit her and knocked her out. He winced, feeling terrible about the mishap. He took in her clothes, a cream tunic tucked into brown pants, and thought she looked nothing like the women he’d read about in his books. “Who are you?” he whispered to himself as his gazed returned to her face. 

Standing up, Kylo placed his hands on his waist and furrowed his brows, trying to figure out where to hide her before Palpatine returned. In a cupboard in the kitchen? Maybe, she was tiny enough. The wardrobe? Possibly, a better option, easier access. Under his bed? A little weird, but probably the safer option since his father rarely went into his bedroom. 

Kylo opted for  _ in _ his bed, figuring that covering her up with his blankets would be good enough, as well as comfortable for her. He scooped the girl up as easy as if she were a pile of laundry. Although, his laundry has never smelled like fresh mountain breezes or looked nice enough to snuggle, even when he washed it multiple times. And it didn’t cause a spark in his core that only grew the longer he held it in his arms. 

He worried that she might wake up, but he knew his father would be returning soon and he could risk her waking in his room rather than out in the open. Hopefully, she would stay asleep until he could figure out what to do. 

He placed her on his bed, and took off her the satchel she had crossed over her body. It felt a little heavy, and curiosity beat out his manners, so he opened it up. Inside was what looked like the hilt of a sword, but with no sword coming out of it. He held it out in front of him, trying to figure it out, then pressed the button with his thumb. Suddenly, blue shined before him and a hum filled the room.  _ A lightsaber _ . He’d trained with swords before and had heard of the light weapon, but he’d never before held one in his hands. He swung it around carefully for a moment, pretending he was fighting some formidable foe, then turned it off and shoved it back inside the satchel. 

Was this girl someone he should fear? Or was she a heroine? She had a weapon, but she hadn’t used it when she snuck up behind him in the kitchen. Heroes always chose what was right, and she chose not to hurt him. At least, not yet. He figured he should hide the saber just in case she wasn’t actually a good guy and then he would have the higher ground. 

After he tenderly tucked her into bed, he quickly hid the saber in the far corner of his wardrobe, then he snuck out of his bedroom and softly closed the door, as if she were truly sleeping. As soon as the door was shut, Palpatine burst through the main entrance down below. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!!! Seriously, it means a lot. <3


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